The 1960's was an important era of experimentation by artists in the recording studio as much as it was also of young engineers, tired of not hearing the sound as it was recorded started designing hi-fi equipment that went closer to giving the music listener more of the detail and depth of the original recording. In the studio artists such as The Beatles and their legendary producer, Sir George Martin, were experimenting with exploring the limits of sound recording with different effects. The British made recording consoles also helped establish "The British Sound". The Americans loved adding chunky bass to their sound whilst the Far East loved to boost the midrange to enhance the vocals. "The British Sound" tried to minimise adding anything to the original recording.
The follow-on through the 1970's and 1980's was the use by famous artists such as The Rolling Stones, Pink Floyd, The Who and David Bowie of the British recording engineers and equipment to produce what was at the time exceptionally accurate and dynamic recordings.
Cambridge Audio was born amongst the British design and manufacturing growth in the 1960's that took up the mantle of reproducing the quality of these recordings through affordable hi-fi equipment. Their first ever product, the P40 amplifier went down in history as being the first amplifier to use a toroidal transformer as the power supply or "engine" of the amplifier. The toroidal transformer went on to become a standard component inside almost every hi-end amplifier since then because it is exceptionally effective at providing the current that delivers the dynamics of the music to the listener.
The P40 was the first of many innovative designs that Cambridge Audio brought out over the following 50 years. Prestigious Awards are presented to this day to Cambridge Audio for not only amplifier design but also high performance streaming components that not only embrace the digital world but set new standards in their price categories.
All of this brings us around to the value of the passion of those music recording pioneers and audio component designers in the 1960's and 1970's that pursued a truly balanced and accurate sound. That sound conveys not only the dynamics of the music but a piece of the emotion that the artists wanted us to feel when we enjoyed listening to their exploration of the limits of sonic experimentation in an effort to control exactly what was recorded and how it sounded. To this day even the entry level Cambridge Audio amplifiers deliver a piece of this experience.
CXN V2
The Cambridge Audio CXN (V2) has kept all of the great sonic characteristics of the original which received awards and highest accolades for best music streamer in its price category.Its wireless playback capabilities include Internet Radio, Spotify Connect, Airplay, NAS drives and UPnP servers, and aptX Bluetooth. The powerful digital engine inside the CXN upsamples your favourite songs to 24-bit/384kHz hi-res quality. They're then passed via twin Wolfson WM8740 DACs in Dual Differential configuration; the result is tonal clarity, detail and an involvement with your music that will astound you. That same vibrancy and enthusiasm that greeted you with the original hasn’t changed much in the time since. It takes something more talented to dig into the emotional core of the music and deliver it and that’s what this Cambridge does. The timing is tight and gets your foot tapping almost immediately.
AXA35
Cambridge Audio's new AX Series includes the AXA35 amplifier. The AXA35 boasts a toroidal transformer and offers extra versatility through its integrated moving magnet phono stage input for vinyl enthusiasts. The sound without any EQ applied is meaty and carries plenty of bass. Even with the volume turned up, the AXA35 never loses control of the music like some other budget amplifiers can. The AXA35’s dynamic skills come to the forefront when conveying the drama of a track. Although it doesn't have digital circuitry, the AXA35 arguably sounds clearer than some amps at nearly twice the price and has a more neutral tonal balance, doing more than enough to justify the highest accolades at this price point.
The new AX Series is a complete examle of Cambridge Audios approach to bringing quality audio to the music lover. Each piece is designed to encompass the individual users needs with a quality performance ensured.
AXC35
The Cambridge Audio AXC-35 is the new release CD Player that is turning heads in the affordable CD player market. With many music lovers having a CD collection it is great to see audio designers still paying attention to their needs to either replace a tired and worn out player or upgrade to more detail through modern technology. With a Wolfson WM8524, a tried and tested Digital to Analogue Converter design that produces a smooth signal that’s both musical and rhythmic the AXC-35 is going to entertain with a refreshing performance of your CD collection. With lots of format playback options the Cambridge Audio ticks a lot of boxes.
AXR100
Following up on the extremely successful SR20 Receiver the AXR 100 boasts a healthy 100 watts per channel. It is a receiver amplifier meaning it has an inbuilt AM/FM Tuner. Along with the inbuilt phono preamplifier for easy turntable connection, there is an inbuilt DAC for direct TV connection and the AXR100 now features quality Bluetooth wireless connectivity for music streaming from your Smartphone.
You will be amazed at its build quality. First of all, the unit has a toroidal power transformer, an amazing feat for its price. When we compare them to similar products from other brands, the Cambridge units just seem to have a higher level of fit and finish. The connectors are more solid, the knobs and buttons seem to be better put together, and the construction of the chassis is perfect.
The tech in this amp is all about sound. The massive toroidal transformer has very heavy duty wiring going to the circuits. When you look inside, you will see two rows of large heat sinks for the serious amp section. The AXR100 is perfect for the person who is serious about great stereo sound, but on somewhat of a budget.
ALVA SOLO AND DUO PHONO PREAMPLIFIERS
Cambridge Audio have always been highly respected for their phono pre amplifiers. Their Solo for MM and Duo for MM and MC cartridges models are no exception. Every LP you send through these preamps sounds velvety smooth. There’s a complimentary warmth to the sound that works wonders with your vinyl library. Their presentation is spacious but cohesive, offering three-dimensionality while hanging its image front and centre. Healthy dynamics help the music drive rhythmically and remind of the importance of the phono preamp's job in playing vinyl.
Rarely does Cambridge fire too wide of the mark, but the Duo and Solo hit right at the centre of the target. They are well-specified, full-bodied, dynamic performers. You really can’t go wrong. Indeed, there’s a great deal of transparency and fidelity to this sound – revealing a rich and rewarding listening experience you won't be able to tear yourself away from.
Every LP you send through these preamps sounds velvety smooth. There’s a complimentary warmth to the sound that works wonders with your vinyl library. Its presentation is spacious but cohesive, offering three-dimensionality while hanging its image front and centre. Healthy dynamics help the music drive rhythmically, supporting the Duo’s confident timing with beats of varying intensity. Thanks to a capable sound and fantastic build, these machines deliver the good and then some. Few other options out there can match this kind of listening experience, which to put it mildly, is pretty amazing.
These are just a select few components from the Cambridge Audio line- up. To discover more CLICK HERE.
]]>We truly feel very priveleged to have the Sugden Audio Legend in the Vinyl Revival Family. In the vinyl analogue tradition Sugden Audio is truly a founder and icon of what has made analogue technology famous for it's natural and atmospheric sound that envelops the music listener in a three dimensional holographic experience. It is an extension of the analogue "Vinyl Revival" that continues to reintroduce us to what was engineered but for vaying circumstances not introduced to the wider music-loving audience. The fact that they have transcended several decades to be here to compliment the resurgence in the atmospheric sound of analogue and vinyl is a testament to their truth and depth of their passion and technology.
James Sugden, widely accredited with producing the world's first Class "A" amplifier under the name of Richard Allen, a most famous brand of English loudspeakers in the 1960's, went on to bring his own name to his amplifiers after 3 years of production for Richard Allen. Sugden were established in 1967 founded by James Edward Sugden who designed and manufactured the worlds first pure Class A solid state commercial amplifier. Since then they have been exporting their products to many countries around the world and winning prestigious awards.
The natural question here is what is a Class "A" amplifier? In simple terms a Class "A" amplifier has all output devices conducting at all times as against a Class A/B design which switches the conducting devices on and off as required. For the music listener this results in the Class "A" amplifier being available to reproduce the dynamics and nuances of the music more readily resulting in a more realistic musical performance.
This is only the beginning of the Sugden story. They have been creating Sugden amplifiers in the same Yorkshire factory for a long time, and their operation is reportedly so self sufficient that they still manufacture their own casework and solder their own circuit boards. In other words, they are hand made. Sugden employees are well described as craftsmen and craftswomen.
The Sugden A21 was the first commercially produced Pure Class "A" solid state amplifier launched in 1967 and is still offered today. The A21 has changed a lot over the last 50 years due to the improvement of electronic components but the simplicity of the Class "A" circuit has remained.
Sugden prides itself on the fact that even today Sugden customers can still call and speak directly with he owners. Sugden owners also understand that each product that Sugden make is handmade and when you walk into the Sugden factory the first thing you see is people building equipment in the assembly shop.
The Sugden range doesn't start and finish with the A21 Series. The Masterclass, Sapphire Series' and the most powerful Sugden Pure Class "A" amplifier, The Grande, provide superb audio solutions for whatever your ultimate amplification requirements are.
Please click on the highlighted links to go to the products or please click here to experience the Sugden range. CLICK HERE:
]]>Pro-Ject Audio Systems was founded in 1991, during the onslaught of the compact disc and CD players, with the mission to offer the best analogue experience for reasonable prices. In a time where the digital audio media had been on the rise, and vinyl was declared as outdated and dead, Heinz Lichtenegger kept his belief in the simple but best way to enjoy music – turntables.
Utilising the extant manufacturing and design skills of the old Czechoslovakia, Pro-Ject utilised the low, cost base and knowledge of the old Eastern Block to their advantage. The Cold-War era Tesla factory in the Czech Republic was known for producing a range of high-quality electronics behind the iron curtain. Separated from the west, development of vacuum-tube electronics and traditional Hi-Fi had continued.
Pro-Ject’s very first turntable, the original ‘Project’ was a ‘hot-rodded’ Tesla design. To this day, Pro-Ject turntables are manufactured in the old Tesla Turntable manufacturing facility – a legacy which stretches back almost 70 years. All turntables are produced from scratch, by hand and in house. From the tiniest screw to the chassis, everything is done by technicians. A strict four step quality control ensures that everything works as intended.
Pro-Ject released its first home-grown design, the Pro-Ject 1 in the early 1990s. The Pro-Ject 1 displayed all the key values of a Pro-Ject turntable: affordability, value and performance through good, solid, simple design and quality engineering.
It’s the late 1990s. CD is king, MP3s the reserve of PC nerds, and vinyl was assumed dead. Into this climate, launched the original Pro-Ject Debut Turntable. It was a strange time to be a vinyl enthusiast; new vinyl pressings were almost entirely the reserve of dance music, one area in which vinyl was still king. With the exception of a few ‘statement’ releases from independent artists and the occasional limited edition run, vinyl was feeling like something of an orphan. Nonetheless, a huge enthusiast network of vinyl lovers and enthusiasts still existed. Keen ‘crate hunters’ determined to dig out that rare pressing, or (in the case of your author) using the affordable price of used vinyl to build up a huge collection of back catalogue music.
This left an unpredictable situation, however; a lack of an affordably priced, high-quality Hi-Fi turntable. In the late 1990s, there were pretty much three options: The Technics SL1210 (still in production thanks to DJ’s), a high-end audiophile deck such as a Linn LP-12, or a refurbished vintage deck
It was to be a UK distributor, which was to sew the seeds for the Pro-Ject Debut range. The request was sent out to create an introductory deck (hence ‘debut’) at an unprecedented low price. Pro-Ject’s answer was to take their successful Pro-Ject 1 turntable and ‘trim the fat to the bone’. The Debut appeared in 1999 with a pressed steel platter, and MDF plinth. The motor was a simplified version of the Pro-Ject 1 motor which was isolated by a single spring. The tonearm was a straightforward, aluminium tonearm. Nothing fancy, but wholly fit for purpose. An Ortofon OM5E cartridge was included – a proper, audiophile-quality cartridge with elliptical diamond stylus. It was, and still is, a simple recipe but one which has consistently attracted praise for over 25 years.
Upon its launch in 1999, the Debut was an instant hit. Retailing at just £109, it was within reach of any Hi-Fi enthusiast. It’s attainability no doubt inspired people to dust off some of their old records, and has been accredited with playing a part in the current vinyl revival. The Pro-Ject Debut received unprecedented praise from the Audio press. Tellingly, many Hi-Fi magazines had, by this point, abandoned an award category for ‘best turntable’ altogether. This didn’t stop the Pro-Ject Debut gaining numerous awards, however. In 1999, ‘What Hi-Fi’ awarded the Pro-Ject Debut ‘Product of The Year‘, an incredible accolade for any new product, let alone an analogue music player in a deeply digital world. Through the years, and various revisions, The Pro-ject Debut has continued to pick up a dizzying array of awards from the press:
ProJect currently has 12 turntable product ranges internationally which would certainly be the largest range in the world. ProJect Australia offers a range of 25 turntables from entry-level to Reference Level Signature models - something for everyone. ProJect Audio still has the new vinyl listener at heart with a strong product line that encourages an investment in the the atmospheric sound that is listening to vinyl. Their legendary Debut Carbon models are still a magnetic attraction to a special experience and exonify the value in a light and agile tonearm being the essence of the vinyl revival.
The current ProJect Audio product range covers a large arena of music listeners with a plethora of options to not only enjoy the beauty of listening to vinyl but also experiencing audio in a compact format previously unavailable that may suit today's living constraints without limiting the music. Heinz's passion for all to enjoy is truly brought to fruition in the current ProJect Audio range.
And now we discover the ProJect Audio turntable range.
The Primary E
With a smart tonearm design ProJect were able to combine pure sound quality with an easy setup on the Primary E turntable. Their plug & play design with pre-adjusted tracking force and anti-skating is uncomplicated but effective. With no compromise in sound. On contraire, the lightweight and low friction aluminium tonearm is optimized for the Ortofon OM series with elliptical stylus for excellent tracking and will bring out its maximum potential. It also includes an elegant dust cover. Another bonus is this product being hand-made in Europe.
The Primary E confidently nails the basics, from an even tonal balance to a delivery that’s clear and clean and spacious enough to keep things coherent. Decent body and substance cling reliably to every frequency, and that’s made all the more enjoyable by a spirited sense of drive and momentum.
The Essential III
The ProJect Essential III offers a variety of enhancements compared to its successful predecessor, such as a diamond-cut aluminium drive pulley, a resonance-optimised MDF main platter and an MDF chassis. The refined, high-precision platter bearing has significantly lower tolerances than Essential II. Essential III is the high performance entry turntable! The setup is very simple, the included Phono RCA cable, Connect-It E, performs way above its price range. Equipped with the high-quality Ortofon OM10, the Essential III delivers a lively, balanced and highly engrossing sound that will delight every vinyl lover. ProJect also make the Essential Phono model with an inbuilt phono preamplifier that accommodates connection to many audio devices.
The Debut Carbon Evo
The ProJect Debut Carbon Evo turntable has been a ground breaking go-to deck for those vinyl lovers at a very affordable price. With it's Carbon Fibre light and rigid tonearm and fine tolerance 2-bearing tonearm tracking the nuances of the record groove, it does a stellar job. The current model available with the Ortofon 2M Red cartridge, with its elliptical stylus providing extra detail and less record wear due to its greater contact in the record groove, is an excellent choice. You'll hear quieter backgrounds, a cleaner midrange, and more detail, treble, and bass.
The Debut Carbon Evo Acryl is an upgraded version of this turntable. The Acryl-It platter is made from acrylic with a satinised surface, delivering a more fluid sound that leaves no space for platter resonances. Unlike metal platters, where you will need to place a felt met between the record and the platter to damp metal resonance, you can put your record directly on the acrylic surface, with nothing in between. ProJect Acryl-It platter truly dampens resonance and leaves you with just the music - a very special space.
The Signature
The ProJect Signature 12 is a non-compromise high end turntable that celebrates “20-years of Pro-Ject Audio Systems”. A highly sophisticated concept combines the mass-loaded principle with subchassis. Magnetic feet decouple the chassis from surface, “Sorbothanepillows” and a magnetic-floating platter guarantees an absolute quiet running turntable. A “flywheel” belt drive system ensures vibration-free running. The new single-pivot tonearm is a genuine Pro-Ject design. With its wide range of adjustment possibilities and the choice of adequate counterweights, nearly all cartridges can be mounted. As in the photo above we were priveleged to have Heinz, the founder of ProJect Audio visit us and explain the precision with which ProJect Audio turntables are made.
ProJect Audio High Performance Components
ProJect is not only famous for its turntable range but for its cleverly designed high performance audio components. We will cover the high performance components and Phono preamplifiers in a future article.
These are just a few select choices from what the Project Audio line-up consists of. Please click on the highlighted links or to experience the whole ProJect Audio product range CLICK HERE
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Elac has come up with something very special with their Vela range. An evolution of their 400 range this series has truly taken the range to a new level. The Elac Vela BS 403 is being spoken of as a BBC LS3/5A monitor with an extra octave on the top and the bottom - accolades don't come much higher. Vela describes the constellation "Sail of the ship".But not only the attachment to the maritime culture, one would like to express it, the shape of the speakers should take up this name.
Elac Vela BS403
The ELAC Vela BS 403 has been created to make high performance loudspeakers appeal to those who value style as much as content. The ELAC Vela BS 403 generates serious power from a tiny package. And rarely does so much dynamism come with such refinement. The Vela demands quality amplifcation with plenty of grip and relishes room to breathe.In addition to the JET tweeter of the fifth generation, which has been a figurehead of the Kiel-based manufacturer for many years, an AS-XR mid-range woofer is used for the lower frequencies.
The Jet 5 planar tweeter is a variant on the Heil Air Motion design with neodymium magnets. With the JET5 high-frequency driver, ELAC relies on the original concept of the loudspeaker pioneer Oskar Heil. It uses a folded foil membrane that requires so much precision in its construction that robots are used for the most demanding part of the process. The extreme speed of the tweeter claims to be especially good at reproducing transient dynamics up to a truly ultrasonic 50Hz.
The Vela BS403 incorporates a sandwich mid/bass driver with a paper cone backing bonded to a sheet of stamped aluminium foil, a combination said to reduce colouration and improve power handling. The large surround provides for plus/minus 15mm of excursion, so it should be able to ‘belt it out’ if required. For a more flexible speaker placement and to minimize ventilation noise, the bass reflex port is directed to the floor, exiting the bottom of the speaker cabinet in a down-firing configuration.
Rarely does such a highly advanced tweeter and mid/bass driver come together in such a small enclosure that is as acoustically smart as it is beautifully constructed. If you’re after an aesthetically stunning speaker that balances form and function with few compromises at an attractive price, you’ve found it. The ELAC Vela BS 403 are among the best bookshelves you will ever hear.
The Elac Vela FS407
For a tower speaker, the Vela 407 is really very gracefully designed, just under 26 inches in depth underline that. But not only the design is successful, the workmanship is also at a high level. Thus, the applied paint has a nice depth in its degree of gloss and is complemented above and on the transducer of excellently machined aluminum parts. Visually, this sculpture of a speaker is not only first-class processed, but also offers something for the eye.
According to the data sheet, the 407 should play from 30 to 50,000 Hertz, which is an ambitious project for such a slim speaker. However, as with the Vela BS 403 the 407 delivers in spades. The Vela FS407 sound as good as they look. The sound image is incredibly delicate in its training, the sound transducers act optimally in their frequency ranges and together result in a symbiosis of transparency, power and detail.
Please click on the links in the text on CLICK HERE to view all the Vela range and colours.
]]>So it comes as no surprise that their highly sought after range of audiophile turntables kick arse too. These days manufacturing has moved to Germany; however, have you ever noticed that everything the German's build is boss too? Trade registered in 1883 – making it the oldest official hifi manufacturer in the world – Herman Thorens set about changing the face of music forever, and he did so with the first electric (direct drive) motor for gramophones in 1928. Then he went and did it again when he invented the first electric phono pick-up, employing the moving magnet principle. On ya Herman.
These days, there’s no difference to the innovative thinking that brought about so many important developments in the world of vinyl music, and Thorens’ range of meticulously crafted fully automatic and manual turntables continue to be highly sought after pieces in many an audiophile’s home setup.
If you’re the owner of a manual turntable then you’ll know full well the often idiotic failure of getting drunk in front of your turntable, falling asleep and not lifting the needle from the record. And while many an argument has been made as to the overall affect this inebriated act has on the condition of one’s needle, I think we can all agree it’s probably best not to do it – at least not that often. So the fact that Thorens offer one of the most extensive ranges of fully automatic turntables on the planet is a blessing bestowed upon us by the hifi gods themselves, and one we recommend investing in. Look, there’s not a whole lot involved in placing the tonearm over the edge of the record, dropping the bridge arm and repeating the process in reverse the when the record’s finished. But if that all sounds like too much work for you – and lets be honest, after a few drinks none of us can really be bothered with it – then fully automatic is your saving grace. Just pop the record on the platter, hit start and let the table do the rest. It’s that simple.
If you’re more of a traditionalist, don’t worry. Thorens have you covered there, too. Tonearms in their manual turntable range employ a (first of its kind) uni-pivot design, rolled aluminium tubing and carbide tipped bearing. Hi-tech schtuff that pretty much means it’s responsive as hell, dragging a tonne of information from those records of yours and providing exquisite playback.
With an extensive line-up of automatic and manual turntables that wouldn't be out of place in a 70's home with their fantastic Walnut finish, Thorens continue to deliver the goods.
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Klipsch, one of the first U.S loudspeaker companies, has been building premium speakers since 1946. When Paul W. Klipsch, one of America's most celebrated audio pioneers, founded Klipsch & Associates, he was operating inside a tin shed in Hope, Arkansas.
PWK was a relentless perfectionist who spearheaded the Hi-Fi movement with the company's foundation product, the Klipschorn, along with the La Scala, Cornwall, Forte and Heresy models, is still manufactured today. A true music lover, Paul's goal was to reproduce the excitement of a live orchestra in his living room. The current Klipsch speaker range combines over 70 years of Klipsch Signature acoustic expertise with cutting edge technology. They pack a serious punch for their size. With their hybrid Tractrix horn loaded tweeters and copper toned Cerametallic woofers they have a high energy efficiency that delivers room filling, clear, detailed “live” sound.
In 1946, Paul W. Klipsch (PWK) changed the face of the audio industry by inventing, discovering, hypothesizing, and proving that it was darn well possible to make and reproduce exciting, explosive, accurate audio. Real, dynamic music was heard in living rooms for the first time – nearly mimicking the power of a live performance. Along the way, PWK worked with industry giants, famous pop stars, and some of the smartest people in the world – always in search of a better sound.
The Acoustic Principles of Klipsch Sound
As stated by Paul W. Klipsch:
High Efficiency/Low Distortion: Klipsch horn technology is highly efficient, providing more accurate sound with less power and less distortion — resulting in louder, cleaner audio. Klipsch’s Law: Efficiency is inversely proportional to distortion.
Controlled Directivity: Klipsch horn technology accurately directs sound to the proper locations, which, in turn, creates a more lifelike soundstage without wasting acoustic energy where sound is not needed or desired.
Wide Dynamic Range: The softest sounds are reproduced with remarkable clarity and the loudest sounds are delivered without harshness or distortion — with the greatest possible range between the softest and loudest sounds.
Flat Frequency Response: Audio is delivered without frequency bias — no unnatural highs, mids or lows — reproducing recorded sound as accurately as possible without colorization.
Klipschorn
Paul’s goal was to reproduce the dynamics and excitement of a live orchestra performance in his living room. An engineering breakthrough when it was introduced, the Klipschorn remains one of the most highly praised loudspeakers in the world and is the only loudspeaker that has been in continuous production for over 65 years.
A local cabinetmaker and the Baldwin Piano Company assist Paul in building his first 20 Klipschorn speakers. First introduced in 1957, the Heresy, a three-way design, started out as a compact center channel speaker to accompany the Klipschorn in three-speaker stereo arrays.
Another classic Klipsch model that is still in production today is the La Scala. Named after the Teatro alla Scala in Italy, the original La Scala was unveiled in 1963. Cosmetically improved over the years, the La Scala provides Klipschorn-like performance from a smaller cabinet that does not require corner location.
Klipsch Professional Sound
Klipsch has always had a professional application for live stage and screen environments. In 1977 Klipsch & Associates beefed up its professional speaker line with the 500-pound MCM speaker. Designed for touring sound and cinema applications, the MCM delivers enough power to rock the house down. The low frequency punch is provided by a KPT-MWM dual 15-inch high efficiency horn-loaded woofer enclosure aided by a separate single 12-inch Tractrix Horn-loaded mid-bass device the KPT-XII. High frequencies are effortlessly reproduced by the KPT-941-HF Tractrix Horn and KDE-75-8P titanium compression driver. The MCM Grand is ultra efficient and in correct multi-channel configuration can yield absolutely even sound coverage to every seat in the house. The MCM Grand is just an example of Klipsch professional technologies that have been used throughout the Klipsch family of speaker ranges through to current day.
Klipsch Heritage Series
The little town of Hope, Arkansas is the birthplace of the Klipsch Heritage range of speakers. Assembled with cabinets handmade there since the 1950's, Klipsch are incredibly proud to continue this practice in the United States.
The reason these sound so live and realistic? THE HORNS. These have horn driven mids and highs and these are not the horns of yesterday (the 60s and 70s). No more hollow sound, no more sounding like a megaphone. Nope, todays horn speakers from Klipsch, at least the heritage line, sound like butter. Smooth, rich, huge and filled with presence. You can hear the breath, the cracks in the voice. Again, these speakers are NEVER fatiguing or at all bright even when driven to concert level.
The Klipsch Heritage range can sound explosive even at almost inaudible volumes. This lets the speakers be played at significantly lower volume without losing the sense of hearing real music. Don't think that this dynamics issue is trivial - it is what makes most speakers sound like speakers and not live music. Unlike most speakers, the Heritage range dynamics don't compress at super high volumes.
The Klipsch's have detail without being etched and harsh, you have a gorgeous full magical midrange where these speakers excels the most and you have bass that is unreal, and is used when called upon. These things can rock you like a hurricane or whisp you away with gentle sounds of smooth jazz. Vocals will be with you in the room, big and rich sound. Once you have heard horns, and like them, you are hooked. They have a awesome soundstage and these speakers look impressive even when they just sit there with their beautiful timber aesthetic.
Klipsch Reference Series
Klipsch call them Reference speakers because they take you back to the original - and remind you of what the artist meant to be delivered to the listener. Special nuances and dynamics reveal the intent of the artist and open up emotions that allow us to enjoy the the true message that the artist intended. A distinctive trait with all Klipsch Loudspeakers is their "Live" sound.
Throughout the Reference range including the RP-500M and RP-600M models incorporate the pistonic action of Klipsch’s exclusive Linear Travel Suspension titanium tweeter is used, alongside the signature ‘copper’ Cerametallic woofers (and Tractrix ports) for low frequencies. The Tractrix Horn tweeter enclosure ensures that the sound energy is primarily aimed at the listening position and is not reflected off walls, floor and ceiling. The titanium horn mounted tweeter is designed to produce clear detailed real-to-life sound with greater dispersion for excellent stereo image and soundstage. The aesthetically beautiful copper Cerametallic woofers are made from an extremely light rigid material that holds its shape whilst delivering powerful bass with maximum efficiency.
Klipsch Active Series
The Klipsch Active speakers incorporate an inbuilt amplifier so all you have to do is add a source component to have a complete music listening system. They have an inbuilt phono preamplifier for direct turntable connection, a digital input for easy TV connection, USB and 3.5mm auxiliary input for direct connection of your Smartphone or tablet. They also offer the convenience of wireless Bluetooth connectivity and an infrared remote control. The Klipsch Active series of powered audio systems blends the acoustics and classic design legacy of Paul W. Klipsch with the latest technologies available today. To complement all this convenience there is the famous Klipsch "live" sound - and that's what brings the music to life.
Klipsch Subwoofers
The Klipsch SPL series subwoofers are a step up from the Klipsch Reference series. Featuring a high-efficiency Class-D amplifier and spun copper Cerametallic woofer, the Klipsch SPL series subwoofers deliver best-in-class low frequency output. The built-in, high efficiency amplifier features an analog preamp design, which maintains the original signal path for cleaner, true-to-source reproduction. The Class D output stage ensures maximum efficiency for maximum output, detail, and low frequency power. Cerametallic woofers are exceptionally light and extremely rigid, providing remarkable low frequency response with minimal cone breakup and distortion for higher, cleaner output using less amplifier power.
Other Klipsch Products
Klipsch also produce headphone amplifiers, Bluetooth and Wireless speakers all designed to perform to the legendary Klipsch standard and deliver the famous Klipsch "Live" sound.
Please click on the highlighted links to go to the product pages or to go to the Klipsch product page CLICK HERE.
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It might seem like an easy task to create the sound that is sent from an amplified signal and source. It has been the quest of speaker designers for eons to deliver the best of what is delivered from the source in the most accurate way. We are certainly not trying here to provide Cupid's Arrow as to how to find the best speakers. We are simply trying to help in the decision process that brings the music to your heart. In our heart of hearts we will discover a sound that takes us places.
As with all audio technologies there has been advancement in creating the best representation of what the live artist intended in studio or concert sound that will envelop you in the music and just the music. Music has an emotional essence that "takes us away" from our day-to-day and into a special space that makes us feel right and special whilst we allow it. We need to honour the pioneers such as Paul Klipsch, John Bowers and many more that explored the boundaries of the technologies of their times to bring us closer to the sound that we intuitively knew was there.
For whatever reason, maybe contrast teaches us, for a while we accepted that MP3 was all. However, that taught us what we were missing in having the whole, without filtering or diminishing the file size as has happened in digital for a long while. What has been learned in this whole process is that there can be more. Fortunately, in the background we have had substantial improvement in turntable and digital technology that has rcognised the pioneering efforts of the past and combined them with the new technologies of today with a special result that brings us closer to the original. We are still amazed at how we have got back on track and are now understanding what touches us emotionally.
We are currently enjoying a rennaissance with analogue through vinyl re-entering the fray due to advancements in technology and a better understanding of what gets the best out of vinyl with attention to tonearm technology. Particularly, tonearm bearing quality and vibration isolation so that what we hear is the music and not the induced noise. At the same time we are now experiencing high resolution larger file size digital files that release more musical detail and access to millions of tracks that we could never own on vinyl.
It is exciting that our source is improving at a level that brings more of the music to us. After all, "garbage in, garbage out". Fortunately, amplifier designers and speaker designers are recognising this shift and delivering products that reproduce more of the "live" performance. Alongside classic speaker designs from iconic brands such as Klipsch and Bowers and Wilkins there are brands like Elac with their legendary designer Andrew Jones and their new budget designs that are making performance speakers at affordable prices. This is only a sample of what is happening. Quality audio at whatever is your budget in a way we have not experienced before.
The job of a speaker is to deliver a dynamic engaging experience to the music lover and that is done via a fast transient response defined by balance of the frequencies to tell the whole story. What we have seen over the journey is a combination of lessons learned early that have stood the test of time and technological developments that have brought more of the life of the music to the fore. After all we all want to be at that live performance every time at whatever level. Allowing the music to engage us creates a special experience and it is the job of the playback equipment to deliver that to us.
Every speaker has a tonality that is different. Whilst the detail and depth will be there, there is an essence that will appeal to different people in different ways. The best analogy is to look at two different paintings and whilst one person will fall in love with one, another person will love the other. Neither is wrong here. It is just a matter of personal taste and that is why there is choice.
Even active or amplified speakers that have previously been known as computer speakers have transcended into quality amplification and speaker drivers that are now being respected by the Hi-Fi press and being seen as quality performers. Brands like Kanto Audio and Klipsch have presented products that are being taken seriously and deliver excellent value for money. At the end of the day whilst we have been through some confusions and shift in the music playback spectrum we seem to have come out the other side with some special products that deliver more of the "live" performance and keep more of the music as it was intended by the artists. After all they wanted their story told in the best possible manner and things are getting better!
Please click on the the links in the text to go to the product page or CLICK HERE to go to the speakers page.
]]>With PrimaLuna releasing their new EVO range of Valve audio products it is time to talk PrimaLuna. PrimaLuna is a company based in The Netherlands that specialises in designing and manufacturing valve amplifiers. It has been nearly a decade since PrimaLuna has introduced an entirely refreshed product line of valve amplifiers and you will find the new EVO series shares the previous line’s DNA. The new products feature upgraded transformers and internal components, improved aesthetics and an enhanced features set including true-balanced, transformer-coupled XLR inputs and outputs on upper-end models. Just as importantly is what hasn’t changed, including the meticulous hand-assembly, point-to-point wiring, superlative build quality and cutting-edge Adaptive Auto-Bias (TM) circuitry upon which PrimaLuna has built its reputation.
PrimaLuna have evolved the classic valve sweetness of the iconic Marantz 1960's Model 7 and 8 valve amplifiers to incorporate modern technology designs and presented them in a beautiful classic aesthetic. The Marantz valve amplifiers were revered for their sonic warmth and are exceptionally collectible today. They sell for many $1000's when they come up for resale. They did suffer from the shortcomings in valve technology at the time. Valve reliability was quite poor and they failed regularly due to the inability of the amplifier designs to minimise dissipation per tube resulting in sonic degradation as the tubes wear out and have to be replaced. PrimaLuna was founded on the idea of eliminating tube maintenance. They do this by using a true and sophisticated Adaptive AutoBias system while running tubes at the minimum dissipation (power). PrimaLuna on their website state: "Our tubes last longer than Keith Richards!"
PrimaLuna run their tubes at the minimum dissipation per tube possible without going into crossover distortion. Forget replacement costs because it will happen rarely. If one of the power output tubes wears “uneven” compared to its workmates, Adaptive AutoBias will work hard to ensure you never know it by allowing suboptimal tubes to sound their best. The result is customers have gone as long as ten years of regular use on one set of tubes!
The other drawback of the original valve amplifier designs compared to the then newly introduced Solid State amplifier designs was their lack of "Bass Slam" which was becoming particularly important with Rock and Pop music requiring more punch from amplifier designs to reproduce the evolving bass lines. PrimaLuna resolved this particular problem by giving more slam and bandwidth through superior output transformer design. Unfortunately, power means nothing when it comes to sound quality, dynamics, and bass slam. An amp can have 200 watts per channel, but if it doesn’t have output transformers with enough bandwidth, the speakers won’t receive it. PrimaLuna is one of only a few manufacturers in the world that actually designs and winds our power and output transformers in-house. Their engineering is performed by two top tier designers, one in The Netherlands and one in the United States. No expense is spared. That is why products that cost twice as much will never sound as good as a PrimaLuna.
PrimaLuna's Holland-based CEO-designer, Herman van den Dungen, apparently believes that the sonic quality of all audio amplification is set mainly by the physical and electrical characteristics of its power supply, and that expensive, overspecified, choke-filtered, tube-rectified supplies make music sound more natural and easy-flowing than do silicon diodes and cheap chip voltage regulators. It is a fact that tube rectifiers are quieter and less colored than silicon diodes. Hence PrimaLuna incorporate these power supply designs into their range of valve amplifiers.
Auto Adaptive Bias
PrimaLuna's Adaptive AutoBias is a true, smart technology. It employs an array of sensors to monitor tubes and make adjustments seamlessly in real time. Adaptive AutoBias is completely passive and NOT in the signal path. The result is low to no maintenance, long tube life, and the lowest possible distortion for amazing sound.
Adaptive AutoBias is passive: It is NOT in the signal path. Period. There are only benefits in tube life and improved sound.
The audible advantages of the Adaptive AutoBias were far greater than PrimaLuna had anticipated. They foresaw a slight improvement in power efficiency and distortion levels, but the gains exceeded their expectations. Transparency over the entire frequency spectrum improved significantly, even in the bass region where qualities such as power, authority and control surpassed what we heard in amplifiers of much greater power. The amplifier sounds quicker and more responsive but with unexpected power reserves far beyond its rating.
Distortion levels plummeted fifty percent, adding incredible authenticity to vocals and instruments and eliminating harshness when the amp was pushed hard. Tube aging and tube replacing are no longer factors requiring tweaks and adjustments; overall, tube life is increased and the number of tube failures dropped significantly.
PrimaLuna has a better way. Instead of a switch, input selection is done using premium quality sealed relays mounted in the rear where you plug in your components. When an input is selected, that relay closes giving you the best connection possible. All the other relays are left open, so noise and signals from other sources can’t leak in. The signal path is now almost non-existent, so there are no wires to pick up noise.
Point to Point Wiring
PrimaLuna employs Point to Point Wiring on all products. The entire signal path, including resistors and capacitors, is painstakingly hand wired with heavy-gauge cable by craftsman. Products from the 1960’s like the Marantz 9 power amps, 7C preamp, and all the others that have skyrocketed in value and collectability have something in common: Point to point wiring. The entire signal path, including resistors and capacitors, is painstakingly hand-wired with heavy gauge cable by craftsmen. The higher spec EVO 300 and EVO 400 models use Swiss-made, silver-plated, oxygen-free continuous crystal (OCC) copper with a Teflon dielectric in the critical signal path for superior signal speed and increased clarity.
Other PrimaLuna Performance Upgrades
DuRoch Tinfoil Capacitors
Premium tinfoil capacitors made to our specifications are used in the critical signal paths. These are very expensive but the sonic results speak for themselves.
Takman Resistors
If you bought a lesser amplifier, you would pay hundreds to make this upgrade. Easy to identify through their pink color, these premium resistors from Japan are popular with those who rebuild and upgrade their gear. "Modders" love TAKMAN for their low noise, linearity, and musicality.
AC Offset Killer - A PrimaLuna Exclusive
AC Offset Killer is about goose bumps. The ones you get when music comes out of a background so quiet, you may say to yourself “Just how is this possible?”
PrimaLuna custom-winds their own massive toroidal power transformers that are low in hum and EMI. But they wanted more. Their engineers designed the AC Offset Killer to lower transformer noise to a place no other manufacturer dreams of going, regardless of how bad your electricity is. The result? Sense of space. Texture. The resonance of an acoustic guitar or violin string that seems to trail on forever. The AC Offset Killer will amaze you.
The EVO300 and EVO400 models have Triode/ UltraLinear switching.
We have included a PrimaLuna video that accurately describes the benefits.
Why PrimaLuna?
Since 2003, PrimaLuna has created tube amplifiers with a unique construction found nowhere else. Their technologies bring you closer to the music at a price you won't believe. PrimaLuna has pioneered numerous technologies to redefine tube amplification. From increased reliability and tube life all the way to their unique, signature sound.
We highly recommend you watch this Youtube video that explains further why PrimaLuna valve amplifiers can take you to a magical space in your music listening.
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The Andrew Jones and Elac Debut speakers success story is an interesting one with some exceptional experience and expertise being brought to the Elac table and resulting in 3 new ranges of speakers, that started with the Debut range, being introduced that certainly have grabbed a lot of attention and received many accolades for their design and performance. ELAC celebrated its 90th birthday in 2017, and introduced its first hi-fi product in 1948, a turntable. It became a leader in turntable manufacturing by 1957, and holds the patent for the first stereo moving-magnet cartridge. In more recent times, with loudspeakers that feature the JET tweeter (a Heil type ribbon driver), ELAC has become recognized as a major player in high-end audio. This essentially is what persuaded Andrew Jones to bring his esteemed resume to Elac.
Although well known in the U.S. in the past for the Miracord turntables, in recent years the company has not been very visible there, known only to those that take an interest in European brands. However in Europe, ELAC is very well regarded and has garnered an astonishing number of very favorable reviews and a strong and enthusiastic following. The idea behind setting up a new design facility is many fold: to expand the product range both upwards and downwards; to refine existing technologies and develop new ones; to introduce new product categories; and to re-invigorate the U.S. market.
Andrew Jones' story started In his teens he became very interested in electronics and hi-fi. Andrew gravitated towards speakers and, he admits, did not know what he was doing. He wondered, how does one really know what they are doing when it comes to loudspeaker design. Sure a kit educates you, yet does not really teach you the why and what. Seeking to design something right, he felt measuring was the way to go. He soon learned that measurements alone did not tell him all the answers, and left him with yet more questions.
Andrew studied physics and acoustics in university, plus quantum mechanics and other subjects that were perhaps not fully relevant to speaker design. He later went into post-graduate research in computer aided X-over network design and optimization. Later, Andrew did work with noise cancellation and control. Still, he longed for getting into hi-fi speaker design. This wish was fulfilled when he received an invitation to join KEF.
He began work at KEF starting in 1983 until 1994. This is when the 104/2 and other legendary designs came about. Andrew initially sought how to better measure speakers to find some correlation between measurements and what a loudspeaker design sounds like. While KEF did have impressive technology to understand design to achieve accurate results, Andrew also had access to many great people including such luminaries as Peter Walker of Quad, Peter Baxandall, professors Lipshitz and Vanderkooy, Richard Small and Neville Thiele (of Thiele/Small parameters fame), and of course his mentor and great friend Laurie Fincham, KEFs technical director. Membership in the Audio Engineering Society (AES) was a requirement and a superb resource. Andrew was able to draw from the knowledge and expertise of others to learn about how to design and measure speakers. KEF was in fact his loudspeaker university.KEF always built their own drivers, so he started off in research there developing measurement techniques and that stood me for everything he's done since then, because, yes, you listen to speakers, but you got to tie it into how they measure, and if you don't measure accurately, you're not going to make that connection.
After a three-year post as chief engineer at Infinity, an invitation extended to him from Floyd Toole, he joined Pioneer and began designing and implementing designs with exotic materials such as beryllium. The Japanese provided Andrew access to new materials to further his knowledge in personally exciting ways, culminating in the launching of TAD Consumer and the development of the Reference One,acclaimed as one of the greatest speakers of all time. At Elac a new set of technologies gives him the ability to design speakers at all price levels. He approaches the task the same regardless of price. While Andrew admits it is great to design $80,000 speakers, and is very happy to find that it is largely the music enthusiasts who buy them, these designs reach only a few people. By carefully planning the materials and strategy to achieve a more obtainable price point, his designs can benefit a far broader audience.
Originating in Germany and designed in Southern California, the Elac Debut range of bookshelf and floor-standing speakers and subwoofers released in 2016 brought high-end audio to the mainstream market, at a "very affordable" price point."ELAC Debut series delivers superior performance thanks to custom made key components, with no off-the-shelf parts," says Jones. "Unlike many more expensive speakers that mix parts-bin drivers, bare-bones crossovers and generic cabinets — every ELAC speaker is built from a clean-sheet design."
After all the accolades and hot reviews on the original Elac Debut series of bookshelf speakers it would seem to have been a huge challenge for their world famous designer Andrew Jones to upgrade these amazing budget speakers to an even higher level of sonic performance.In facing the challenge of bringing even more to the new Series 2.0 Debut by employing the technologies learned in designing the highly respected Unifi and Adante lines, Andrew Jones and Elac have done it again.....improved on a highly successful formula for a quality budget loudspeaker.Improving on its award-winning predecessor was no easy task, but the Debut B6.2 sets a yet higher standard, delivering performance in inverse proportion to its diminutive size and with the larger 6 inch Mid/Bass driver there is an even fuller room filling sound over the Debut 5.2. And it remains the best value in the world of affordable speakers, with sound that surpasses speakers many times the price.
Jones' next foray after the original Debut release was the Uni-Fi Series. The Elac Uni-Fi speakers deliver all the potentials of this next level of speaker refinement with rhythmic enthusiasm that keeps on giving.Unlike the Debut they are a concentric 3 way design which delivers the most coherent and accurate reproduction across the treble and midrange frequency spectrums. Because of their high cost, concentric drivers are traditionally used in only the most expensive speakers.True to form, Andrew Jones has made the Uni-Fi UB5 exceptionally affordable,for which again they have received accolades.
Andrew Jones couldn't resist creating one of their most ambitious speakers to date, the Adante Series. The Adante’s advanced design starts with a precision-built cabinet that features Interport-Coupled Cavity bass loading to exploit the highest performance from new active and passive bass drivers. The inherent superiority of this design solution delivers some of the most authoritative, realistic bass around. Complementing Adante’s custom low-frequency drivers is the all-new concentric midrange/tweeter, a natural-sound wonder engineered expressly for the Adante series. The face of each cabinet is an elegant, bonded-aluminum front baffle for maximum rigidity, contoured to incorporate waveguides that ensure optimum dispersion from each driver.
Ever since he decamped to ELAC a few years back, you can’t open a web browser about audio without seeing Andrew Jones' beaming smile and man-of-the-people disposition staring right back at you.There is good reason for this as no other speaker designer has recently made such an impact on budget through to midrange speaker design and value as Andrew Jones. Oh,.....and there is more to come....a new higher level active design is on the way!
In his own words............"And I will say that whenever I design something, I'm not specifically targeting a “market” in that sense and changing the sound balance because I think, “This market would like that sound balance.” And I'm the only one responsible for deciding what it's going to sound like. Nobody else contributes to that process. Fortunately, what I like seems to be popular in the marketplace. One of the things I do look for is vocal reproduction. I want a presence.Now, I want good performance for cymbals; all the treble stuff. I want a good bass foundation, a mid-bass so that the voices aren't thinned out — because as soon as you thin them out you lose that realism."
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Bowers & Wilkins, or B&W, is a British company that produces audio equipment, most notably loudspeakers. In 1966, John Bowers started a separate business – B&W Loudspeakers Ltd. and was no longer involved with the electronics shop in which he had been a partner. The first production line was established in the workshops in the shop's backyard. The 1967 P1 was the first commercial speaker from B&W. The cabinet and filter were B&W's own, but the drivers came from EMI and Celestion. The profits of the P1 allowed Bowers to purchase a Radiometer Oscillator and Pen Recorder, allowing for calibration certificates for every speaker sold. In 1970, the ionovac-tweeter equipped P2 speakers produced were licensed by Sony, produced in Worthing to be distributed in Japan. Bowers decided to develop a loudspeaker wholly built in-house. The sizeable DM70 from 1970 combined electrostatic mid- and high range on top of a traditional bass unit. The distinct shape of the loudspeaker won a British Industrial Design Award. Good press reviews made exports start to rise.
In 1972 a new production facility was opened in Meadow Road, Worthing. Housing anechoic chambers and extensive Bruel and Kjaer measurement equipment, the research team investigated phase linearity and speaker cone construction using laser interferometry. B&W received the Queen's Award for Export in 1973, and built programme content monitors for the BBC. After a tenfold increase in export since 1973, the second Queen's Award for Export is awarded in 1978.The patented use of Kevlar fibres, impregnated with a stiffening resin, resulting in B&W's distinctive yellow speaker cones started in 1974.
The 801 studio monitor loudspeaker, taking three years of development, was introduced in 1979. The modern era of hi-fi begins. With drive units housed in separate chambers, the 801 delivered unheard-of realism. The 800 loudspeaker range was improved into matrix versions with a very rigid cabinet construction in 1987. In 1988, Abbey Road Studios adopted Bowers & Wilkins’ Matrix 801’s in their studios to bring the most accurate recordings to market.
The 1993 'Nautilus' speaker still remains the company's flagship product. The extraordinary result of a no-holds-barred R&D programme, Nautilus influences Bowers and Wilkins' speaker designs to this day. In 1998, Nautilus technology was introduced in the somewhat more affordable Nautilus 800 series.
In 2010, the sixth incarnation of the 800 flagship speaker series featured diamond tweeter domes in every model in the range. In 2015 the latest version of 800 Series flagship introduced a complete redesign and revolutionary new technologies, such as the Continuum™ cone.
Bowers and Wilkins Today
The Bowers and Wilkins 600 Series
Bowers and Wilkins new 600 Series loudspeakers use technologies developed in their studio monitor series.....their monitors are used in famous recording studios such as Abbey Road studios in London. The Contiuum mid/bass driver which creates layered midrange sound which is quintessential in the accurate reproduction of vocals and key instruments including piano, guitar and string instruments, is a direct descendant from their world famous 800 Series monitors. To complement this new cone Bowers and Wilkins have retained their Decoupled Double Dome Tweeter, an important ingredient of imparting the rhythm of the music. They’re upbeat and energetic, deliver punchy, solid bass and offer class-leading levels of detail and dynamics. These B&Ws simply don’t miss a beat. Available in both bookshelf and floorstanding models they offer options for different listening spaces. These aesthetically pleasing range of speakers delight with their rhythmic sound.
The Bowers and Wilkins 700 Series
Combining cutting-edge acoustic engineering and classic cabinet design, 700 Series is inspired by recording studios, and made for living rooms. Unlike previous generations, these new 700s are ambitiously designed to offer a good slice of the performance and technology of their high-end relatives. They incorporate the Carbon Dome tweeters which are purpose-built for the 700 Series. Delivering a dramatic improvement on the aluminum double dome tweeter, they raise the breakup threshold to 47kHz, for pinpoint imaging accuracy and detail. This tweeter takes a notable step forward by coating the 30-micron thick aluminium dome with a thin layer of carbon and further reinforcing the dome with a carbon ring. The result is a more rigid, better-damped diaphragm that should produce cleaner, less distorted highs.
We first saw the use of Continuum as a driver material in the high-end 800 series, and here it has trickled down in to the more affordable end of the company’s products. The new material is something that carries on from where Kevlar left off, rather than a move in a different direction (there’s a clue in the name). The aim is still to produce a well-damped, suitably rigid cone that break-ups in a controlled manner. Continuum just does it better than Kevlar. The 700 Series sound astonishingly authoritative, with a solid, composed presentation that renders bass with plenty of punch and power.
The 700 Series are crafted in a beautifully made cabinet. Available in both bookshelf and floorstanding models they offer options for different listening spaces. A special mention must be given to the 705 S2 bookshelf and 702 S2 models where their tweeter is placed atop the cabinet like the classic 805 design, decoupling it from the main enclosure. Milled from a solid block of aluminum, the solid body tweeter housing design creates an acoustically optimised housing for the tweeter – one that’s exceptionally inert and resistant to resonances.
Bowers and Wilkins Technologies
Bowers & Wilkins and McLaren have once again collaborated to create an in-car audio system for the McLaren Senna, celebrating a relationship in constant pursuit of acoustic perfection. McLaren are not only world famous for their Formula 1 successes but their State of the Art supercar production is cutting edge in road car technology.
All of the materials used in the McLaren Senna are designed to bring out the best in your music. From crystal clear high frequencies created by Double-Dome aluminium tweeters, which are enhanced with Nautilus technology, to detailed midrange produced by their famous Kevlar™ cones, the Bowers & Wilkins in-car listening experience is optimised for only the best sonic results.
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]]>The release of the MoFi turntable, cartridge and phono preamplifier range has brought quite a lot of attention from music listeners and the hifi press. There is good reason due to the ground breaking technologies that Mobile Fidelity Sound Labs have established since 1977 with their Half Speed Mastered vinyl pressings of famous artist's albums and the excitement and expectations of their entry into producing equipment that would reproduce the playback of vinyl with the same level of sonic improvement that they are famous for. They brought their best to the table with superb engineering talent and expertise learned from their success in mastering and pressing records.
Their long and esteemed history started with their founder Brad Miller and his interest in capturing the sounds of locomotives and other outdoor sounds. This inspired Brad's idea of expanding the soundstage to give the listener a more panoramic environmental scene. This led to Brad creating the Mystic Moods Orchestra and his "sound-effects" tracks where he developed his recording craft.
Mobile Fidelity's significant contributions to the world of high-end audio software are grounded in the art of Original Master Recording, significantly advanced by the company with the introduction of the half-speed mastered Original Master Recording™ LP. As part of the company's resolve to provide the most accurate sonic reproductions possible, all Mobile Fidelity product is mastered directly from the original master tape as opposed to production copies often used for mass reproduction. This ensures a more complete and exacting transfer of the original musical data. In the case of the Original Master Recording™ (OMR) LP, the use of the original master tape is combined with a unique procedure known as "half-speed" mastering, which literally slows down the cutting system involved in mastering vinyl so that musical information can be transferred from the source tape to the lacquer with greater precision. To this advanced mastering technique, Mobile Fidelity adds substantial refinements in the vinyl compound itself and improves methods of plating the lacquer. The result is a significant improvement in overall performance from the vinyl medium.
In June 1979, Mobile Fidelity Sound Lab releases what is to become the benchmark phonograph for the audiophile LP industry for years to come -- Pink Floyd's Dark Side of the Moon. The response is astounding as sales exceed all expectations. Mobile Fidelity is now at the helm of a newly emerging market for audiophile recordings featuring popular music.In 1980,Mobile Fidelity expands on this initial licensing of the Pink Floyd release by securing additional titles of significant commercial recordings from all musical genres including pop, rock, and jazz -- genres sorely missing from the current repertoire of available audiophile recordings. The Mobile Fidelity catalog begins to expand as does its marketplace, branching out from the audiophile community and into the hi-fi arena in general.
The success of these limited edition vinyl releases are culminated with the issue of a limited edition, boxed collection of 13 Original Master Recording™ LPs by The Beatles entitled The Beatles - The Collection. The Collection is lauded by critics and fans worldwide and sold-out completely within the first year.
Based on the Collection's enormous success, Mobile Fidelity follows with the release of a second boxed collection in 1983, Sinatra, which includes 16 of Frank Sinatra's most popular recordings, and in 1984 with The Rolling Stones, a collection of 11 OMR LPs which includes an art book with original album cover graphics and exclusive interviews with the original producers and recording engineers. All three collections meet with critical acclaim and are destined to increase in value as collectors' items.
Whilst Mobile Fidelity went on with the introduction of digital to produce Original Master Recording CD's and their Gold CD UltraDisc their heritage still lies strongly in their vinyl pressings which are still available today.
The Turntables
With their intended entry into the turntable and electronics arena Mobile Fidelity adroitly enlisted Allen Perkins of Spiral Groove fame, who is said to have designed and overseen all aspects of production with Mobile Fidelity StudioDeck and UltraDeck models. Allen Perkins is a San Francisco turntable guru, whose own Spiral Groove turntables start at $18,000. Spiral Groove’s well reviewed and fabulous looking turntables routinely soar into the tens of thousands and legitimately have staked out their own corner of the ultra high-end echelon. One can see why Mobile Fidelity felt they had landed big fish, so to speak, when they empowered Mr. Perkins to see what can be accomplished using his wits on their new decks.
The StudioDeck's construction starts with aluminium ruling the day with a wide plate of the material bonded to MDF plywood to form the plinth of the table and the appears again in the 10’’ gimballed bearing tone arm. The aluminium provides added mass dampening in the plinth and rigidity in the tonearm and judging by similar choices made in high dollar Spiral Groove tables are a good indication that StudioDeck’s design is coming from a higher plane of existence. The StudioDeck is run by a decoupled 300RPM AC motor and you will find a ¾’’ platter and pulley system made from Delrin™ material. Delrin™ is a proprietary polymer material developed by the DuPont Corporation, the crystalline structure of which is thought by Mobile Fidelity to be ideal in effectively shielding the stylus from unwanted motor noise or vibration.
The StudioDeck’s inverted bearing is comprised of a combination of Teflon, steel, and bronze normally associated with more expensive tables that prize silent rotational stability. Mobile Fidelity rounds out your hard-working turntable expenditure with a set of anti-vibration feet designed by Harmonic Resolution Systems to further separate any unwanted vibrations from your playback. HRS is yet another highly thought of name in the industry that Mobile Fidelity enlisted to go ahead and get the StudioDeck right the first time around. The build quality and feel clearly exceed most anything you are going to find at its price point.
Their higher end UltraDeck features a base of Constrained Layer Dampening: Sitting atop the MDF bottom layer are three pieces of aluminium. Each piece of aluminium isolates the three major components from each other- the motor, the platter/bearing assembly, and the arm each have their own aluminium plate. The motor is further isolated from the base as well. Both aspects of the design help block vibration reaching the platter from moving parts inside the turntable or from outside influence.Although both the MoFi decks come with Delrin platters, the UltraDeck’s is 1.3" thick and weighs almost twice as much as the StudioDeck’s (6.8 lbs. versus 3.8 lbs. and ¾" thick).
The UltraDeck’s tonearm contains upgraded bespoke Cardas Audio wiring from the head-shell through the gold-plated RCA connectors. George Cardas is very well respected in the industry and his products are quite popular. The 10" aluminium arms on both models use high-quality ball bearings in a gimballed design for lower friction and operation. The arm has an effective length of 10 inches. Most models in this price range are 9 inches. The extra inch is important. All pivoting arms have tracking error. The longer the arm, the more gentle the arc as the arm travels the playing surface. The more gentle the arc, the lower the tracking error. One last detail is that there’s an O ring between the arm tube and the head-shell to assist in isolating the stylus from unwanted vibration.
The music just flows, it sounds far more real and lifelike via the Ultradeck. This is potentially due to excellent speed stability and the heavy Delrin platter, but it’s probably the sum of all the parts that make the Ultradeck well, ultra.The second thing that’s noticeable is that the Ultradeck is an exceptionally quiet turntable . By that, we mean no hum, no hiss, nothing. What the silent background gives you are huge dynamic swings. Quiet recorded passages aren’t mixed with noise, which in turn makes the loud parts seem louder.With the Ultradeck, MoFi has produced an American made turntable that’s well engineered and built, looks great, and sounds sublime- and they brought it to market at a very reasonable price.Voted Best Analogue Product of 2018 by Michael Fremer,a foremost authority on turntables - the MoFi UltraDeck is simply that good.
Vinyl is the most tactile of all music formats, so if the turntable feels awkward or cheap, playing music won't be much fun. To its credit, MoFi Electronics has eschewed any gimmicks and spent their money on things that matter: a great, sturdy, yet medium-mass tonearm; a smooth drive system; a fabulous platter; a fine cartridge; and outstanding isolation from vibration.
The Studiophono Phono Preamplifier
StudioPhono replicates the wide bandwidth transparency Mobile Fidelity Sound Lab mastering engineers demand. Tim De Paravicini, the designer responsible for the Mobile Fidelity Gain2™ Ultra Analog cutting system, assisted with the internal circuitry to ensure your analog system at home faithfully reproduces the music buried in the grooves of your LPs. StudioPhono won’t add anything to your music. If anything, it’ll remove a layer of noise that may have previously gone unnoticed.
Tim De Paravicini is a global analogue renaissance man of sorts who has travelled many roads over the past decades, working with EAR, Musical Fidelity, and Luxman, to name a few of his more recognisable stops.De Paravicini was uniquely suited to captain the design of the StudioPhono as he understood the technical aspects and standards Mobile Fidelity sought to deliver better than anyone: to create an ultra-wide bandwidth, high transparency phono stage truly faithful to original master recordings. Tim de Paravicini oversaw all circuit design and part selection to accomplish Mofi’s mission for the StudioPhono.
Their other phono preamplifier model, the UltraPhono is the same as the StudioPhono but includes a powerful Class A headphone amplifier perfect for quiet nights when you want to keep the records spinning in private.
The MoFi Phono Cartridge Range
MoFi cartridges are designed by looking back at where a record starts: On a lacquer cutting lathe like the model used at Mobile Fidelity Sound Lab. They follow the same layout as the cutting head responsible for making grooves on vinyl LPs.The MoFi StudioTracker cartridge is made in Japan.The cartridge consists of two low-mass, powerful magnets aligned in a V formation parallel with the stereo record grooves. With this design StudioTracker accurately extracts precious details from your LPs.The StudioTracker comes with an elliptical stylus whilst their UltraTracker model comes with a Nude Elliptical stylus. Their top model, the MasterTracker comes with a MicroLine stylus.
These extraordinary turntable,cartridge and Phono preamplifier models are true milestones in advances in turntable technology using design principles and materials previously reserved for the "Top-End" turntable market. Their reception in the marketplace has been extraordinary to say the least. They just sound so right!
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]]>Rega has been making turntables in the UK since 1973. Their founder Roy Gandy still designs all their new release turntables. From humble beginnings of being a part time retailer and finding he had to spend a ridiculous amount of time repairing new turntables before his conscience and common sense would allow him to sell them to others, he, along with his then partner Tony Relph designed their first turntable called "The Planet". Roy then went on to set up his own facilities and designed and after some searching found a casting company prepared to work with him to develop an entirely new production method enabling the one-piece tube tonearm to be cast. The RB300 tonearm was born and received an international award for excellence in aluminium casting.
In Roy Gandy, we truly have a legend of the hifi industry. In his words: "I'm not a past person. I don't reminisce". If he did he would find some amazing achievements in the award-winning world of his turntable design and understanding of the "beat of the music". Roy says that whilst turntables are the mainstay of his business, he admits that it was a surprise that his orders were double his production. This inspired him to produce a no holds barred turntable, a concept design with no constraints. It would become the test bed for an entire range of new models.
To quote Roy....."We went to extremes on our theories. Talking about stiffness and bracing and lightness, we made the lightest of glass platters with the stiffest possible brace, with money not being any possible object at all. The main chassis component is a carbon fibre moulding with ceramic fibre braces forming the most rigid possible beam to link the platter bearing and arm mounting". Roy went to a Formula 1 supplier that made great gearbox castings for Formula 1 cars. They put that technology into that part.
Roy finds a total lack of understanding within the industry of his ideas. He says: "The turntable is a whole. The arm, the cartridge and the turntable itself is a measuring machine and it measures vibration.You can't make it perfect. But you design the compromises to get the closest to perfection". In a number of conflicting engineering parameters Roy says, "the energy seems to come from the record. Once a record is rotated and the stylus starts moving there is energy".
Roy Gandy found that it was was feasible to make a glass platter with it's mass concentrated at the rim, by bonding 2 pieces of glass together - this theory has been put into the designs of the current Planar 6 and Planar 8 models. Possibly the greatest quote from Roy Gandy is "But we make things for people,we're proud of making something that we'd like to have ourselves. It is for people that we have engineering techniques, production techniques to make lots of them as cheaply as possible, and work with our suppliers to make them as cheaply as possible."
Rega has come a very long way in the past 40 years. The company philosophy of not spending one penny on marketing but spending those funds on research and development has resulted in their award-winning turntable and electronics designs. They are now selling to more than 40 export markets and producing on average 2000 turntables alone every month.
An example of their dedication to achieving engineering excellence in manufacture is the fact that the bearings for the Rega tonearms are hand picked by trained Rega staff to ensure optimal tracking of the record groove. Every Rega turntable is now bench tested for a minimum of 12 hours in the Rega factory in England prior to packing and shipping to ensure quality control. Listening to the atmospheric sound of vinyl played on a Rega turntable is truly special experience. Rega continues to grow and develop new products, all of which strictly follow those early Rega virtues of excellent build quality, long life and amazing value for money all backed up by a lifetime warranty against manufacture defects.
From their current Rega Planar 1, which is the most successful turntable that Rega has ever made to their latest release Planar 8 and RP10 models there is a piece of the Rega passion that translates into a rhythmic, atmospheric delivery of the music from the vinyl that other turntable designers struggle to emulate.They have won more awards than any other turntable manufacturer in history for their accuracy in reproducing music.
Rega also drew on their expertise with phono preamplifiers to bring their best-selling Planar 1 model to an even wider audience. They created the Rega Planar 1 Plus model with an inbuilt award-winning Rega Fono Mini phono preamplifier so that the Planar 1 Plus connects directly to almost any system that has a standard line input.
The current Rega range, from the Planar 1 through the Planar2, Planar3, Planar 6 and Planar 8 models exemplify the Rega signature musicality. Rega turntables have a body in their sound and a real analogue warmth. The combination of accuracy and a skill for knitting together the different strands in the music is displayed with expertise on all Rega turntables. With a Rega turntable there's scale, and a surprising dose of authority. Large-scale dynamic shifts are delivered with enthusiasm while shifts of a subtler variety are handled with finesse.
On the Rega, the vinyl is more emotionally compelling, better focused, better nuanced harmonically, keeps your attention longer, and provides a much bigger, airier picture. The music’s message and its emotional content are communicated with utmost clarity. Sound quality is absolutely astonishing for the price. Few turntables in their relevant price categories can render a record so faithfully as the Rega Planar range does. This is about toe-tapping musicality and transparency.
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]]>As part of Rega's re-design of 3 of it's most successful turntables, the Planar 1 will certainly be the most user-friendly Rega turntable to date. The Planar 1 has a brand new RB110 tonearm that is set up in seconds. Every single aspect of the Planar has been meticulously designed to improve performance. For a sub $600 turntable it is amazing that the Planar 1 is running a 24 volt, low noise synchronous motor to reduce vibration transfer combined with Rega's zero play bearings. This new deck gives performance beyond it's price.
Despite the huge success and accolades in the reviews of Rega's previous model RP1 turntable, the Planar 1 comes to the table with a complete re-design from motor to the higher mass platter to tonearm to new high gloss plinth the Planar 1 impresses from many angles.
And then there is the sound of the Planar 1. What Hifi Magazine said of the Rega Planar 1, "If you can render a record so faithfully as the Planar 1 does that warmth of it's rivals begins to feel like dowsing your Christmas dinner in tomato sauce. In these times bereft of certainty, there is far worse that you could do than close the curtains, settle in to your favourite armchair and spin a few records on a new Rega Planar 1."
The Rega Planar 1 is certainly a standout in terms of value for money in the entry-level quality turntable market. It is far from entry level though. In fact, it is a toe-tapping musical surprise that will have you looking for another record to play.
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So where does the Ortofon 2M Red Cartridge fit into your world? Firstly, it is an Absolute Sound magazine Product of the Year Winner which shows it has impressed it's reviewers in the industry. The 2M Series is designed for precise and accurate retrieval of information in the record groove. In other words, your music sounds sweeter and more detailed.
Ortofon, a name synomonous with high fidelity sound reproduction, started with humble beginnings in 1918. Ortofon became world famous in 1948 when they developed a new pick up arm and pickup that could reproduce the new method of cutting records that had been implemented circa 1945. The name Ortofon is derived from the Greek words "Orto" (meaning correct) and fon (meaning sound).
In 1959 the Ortofon phono cartridge came to market bringing with it the opportunity to enjoy an era of great musical creativity. In 1977, the moving coil cartridge, the MC20II, introduced a new damping system which ensured high tracking ability in the record groove.
Moving into the Millenium, Ortofon has not only survived the ebb and flow of vinyl, but is continuously investing in the technology to ensure that they continue to be a leading phono cartridge manufacturer.
A record groove is a difficult place for a stylus to travel. However, with an Ortofon 2M Red you come many steps closer to tracking accurately and experiencing the world of vinyl that we all deserve. Music is to be enjoyed and we should be immersed in the atmosphere of it. The Ortofon 2M Red cartridge brings an open dynamic sound with a touch of warmth to all of your favourite tunes and even some new ones.
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If you’re just getting into vinyl, budget may be your primary concern and that $40 garage sale/thrift store deck seems like the greatest deal on Earth. But it also may need a ton of work to be play ready, and that could leave your head spinning at 33RPM. When dealing with a used turntable, it’s always what’s inside that counts. It’s probable that this $40 deck is 15 years old or more. Trust us, it’s only getting older. There is no such thing as a free table.
And it may already be suffering from one or more of the following issues: worn out motor, shredded stylus, stretched belt or out of whack balance. Before you know it, that $40 steal has turned into a $300 repair job—and you may not even be able to find the part you need to get your deck up to snuff. Repairs - This is a no-brainer—another “win” for a new turntable. There are just too many potential problems involved with a vintage table potentially breaking down. If your turntable malfunctions, you want to know that you can fix it—and fix it for a reasonable price.But again, you get what you pay for.
We know that those $149 decks dotting big market store shelves along with the ones that come in suitcases with speakers that you can't pack to go on holidays are appealing, super easy options to beginners, but the quality of construction and sound production are just not where they need to be - let alone the tragic destruction they bestow on your precious vinyl as they grind the grooves with a ton of weight on the tonearm.
If you’re looking to invest in a brand new deck, you’ll want to give yourself a slightly larger budget and start looking at entry level quality performance turntables. The good news is that companies like Rega, Pro-Ject Audio and Audio-Technica have a few outstanding options in this price range that offer the clear, warm sounds that vinyl lovers strive for.
New Turntable – Construction is everything for a new vinyl record player as well. With Quality decks using a mix of particle boards, carbons, alloys and a variety of metals, there’s no shortage of quality construction for this market. With some truly amazing cartridge/stylus packages available, there’s no shortage of great sound either. Where new decks really set themselves apart is with motor sound. Even at the lower end of the quality turntable set, it’s almost impossible to hear one of these decks spin, and that leaves sound both warm and crystal clear.
We also have the advantage of over 30 years of technological development that deliver more of the music from the record at an exceptionally affordable price. A critical element of great vinyl sound lies in the quality of the tonearm and how well that tracks the grooves of the record. Much focus has been put into research and development of finer tolerance tonearm bearings that allow the tonearm and cartridge/stylus to track all the record groove. The detail has always been there but we have learnt how to better extract it at a more affordable price.
Another major advancement has been in vibration and noise isolation through better absorption feet and motor and main bearing isolation and refinement. This results in less noise and more of the music and just the music. The cartridge/ stylus is another critical element as it is the start of the process and with such a small, detailed signal being extracted and converted into an electrical signal it is a case of garbage in - garbage out. Current cartridge techology has again improved and value for performance has never been better.
New Turntable – Speaking of sexy, it’s almost impossible to find an new table that isn’t attractive. With distinctly modern, minimalist designs, most record players also come in a variety of colours so you can easily find an intriguing look to match your personal styles and taste.
New record players are the ultimate in convenience and reliability, plus the expectation of a new 30 year life span. You know exactly what you are getting and more often than not, you can even listen to them before buying. The initial investment will ensure years of trouble free listening and enjoyment. We have a section on our website that will help in the decision process.
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]]>The valve output stage of ProJect's Tube Box S2 brings audiophile grade components to music listeners at a very affordable price. ProJect, a company famous for bringing affordable high fidelity turntables to the market and substantially contributing to the vinyl revival, have brought their affordable design to valve phono preamplifiers. The sonic quality of the Tube Box S2 is extremely musical with an impressively wide soundstage that makes full use of stereo imaging and is supremely detailed. There's a real openness to the sound,too. It provides a well balanced performance that incorporates sweet fluid midrange dynamics that are handled well, with subtlety and accuracy.
If you are looking to upgrade your vinyl enjoyment, the ProJect Tube Box S2 could surprise and enhance the sweetness of the vinyl listening experience. Or if you are just entering the atmospheric world of playing records, the ProJect Tube Box S2 will help complete a wonderful music listening experience.
]]>The LP60x BT is fully automatic turntable which means that you need only to press one button to start play. As well as this, at the end of the record it will automatically lift up and return the arm to rest. No need for you to intervene. A tonearm lift button is also included to let you raise or lower the arm without stopping the turntable.
Audio Technica has been a leader in cartridge design for more than 50 years and the LP60x BT comes with one of their Dual Moving Magnet designs. It also has a very compact footprint in comparison to most other turntables, which is great for those without much space. Finally, it has an in-built phono preamplifier so there is no need for an external one.
If you're looking for an easy-to-use, compact turntable then you've found your match. The Audio Technica LP60x BT is for beginners and audiophiles alike.
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